Alone Together
by Jynx Anarchy
Summary: "Despite all things I believed before...I think I really need this girl..."
1. Chapter 1

**This, my dear readers, followers, reviewers, and whoever else you may be, is a story that was the product my sleep-deprived teenage mind. Yes, I do realize you're probably saying, ****_"How lame," _****But I assure you, this is not your random, run-of-the-mill, Mary-sue spouting, herp-derping short story full of fluff. I am planning to see this thing to the end. Even if you hate every second of it. And, please, if you're: A.) ****_Easily offended_****, and/or B.) ****_Unable to resist trolling_****, just clickity-clack off this story now, because it is ****not**** for you. But, with that in mind, I do hope you enjoy it. :3**

_"...Will this rain ever let up...?"_ Piccolo thought to himself. He sat inside a cave, embracing the heat of the fire he made, as he watched the downpour. The night was a nice shroud for the ominous clouds overhead. He didn't know what it was about rain that he liked, he only knew that he could sit and stare it for hours at a time.

He squinted for a moment, for he imagined that he saw another being outside. _"No one would be out in this rain, would they...?"_ Piccolo

questioned mentally. Lightning crashed to reveal that the sight was no illusion. There was truly a person outside.

Another bolt of lightning. The figure was stumbling forward, like it were disoriented and confused...or even hurt. Piccolo got to his feet after this and walked slowly to the mouth of his shelter and waited for the lightning to show the figure again.

Surly enough, after a few moments, the white light flashed the sky again. But this time, the person was curled up on the ground. This startled Piccolo, and he haphazardly rushed into the rain to survey the man. He hadn't actually seen another 'person' in quite some time, and though isolation is good for the mind, he knew it wasn't the same way for his heart and soul.

The puddles on the ground splashed beneath his feet as the thunder and lightning clashed around him. He looked over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't followed. Or seen. _"...I really shouldn't do this...but something about this guy...it's just...attracting me to him, I suppose."_ He knew it wasn't a matter of sexual orientation, but curiosity.

He looked around once more. He exhaled deeply. Then, without one more thought, he snatched the person out of the mud and dashed back into the cave. Piccolo set the person down gently in the light of the fire without looking down. He took off his soaked weights and tossed them on the ground. _"...This guy is strangely light-weight...and curvy..."_ He thought.

He slapped his palm to his face after realizing that it wasn't a man. _"...A women...?! I picked up a women?! And what'll she think waking up in a cave with a seven-and-a-half foot tall green alien?!"_ Questioned raced through his mind. His heart pounded as he cautiously looked down at her. He was a bit nervous after realizing it was a girl. Thank Kami she was clothed, even of it wasn't much.

Pale white skin, hip-length, black hair, curvy waist...fluffy white-and-black stripped tail?! "Why does she have a tail?!" Piccolo almost shouted. He froze when she started to move. It was small and feeble, and her ear twitched. "Abnormal fox-like ears...also noted." He sighed.

What an odd human this was. Normal features, but ears and a tail resembling some furry creature...what an odd human this was, indeed. Piccolo was mesmerized. He couldn't keep his eyes off this girl. Then he remembered that he hadn't even glimpsed at her face. He halfway expected whiskers. But it was normal.

"Pale, just like the rest of her skin, long eyelashes, pink lips with a cute little Cupid's Bow... Wait! 'Cute'?! Piccolo, get a hold of

yourself! It's just a girl! But...she's just...so...feminine...almost...adorable, dare I say..." He smirked. "I don't understand humans...emotions...and..." He paused, shuddering slightly, "...Love...and I probably never will...but then again...this female...she's different." Piccolo was becoming drowsy, and decided that he should meditate for now. He drifted off into his elusive stated of altered awareness, merely by thinking of this mysterious girl.


	2. Chapter 2

As sunlight poured into the cave, Piccolo opened his eyes. The haze of the morning in his vision just beginning to fade and he blinked a few times to clear it up. He was then shocked by the fiery, flickering, embering eyes in front of him that seemed to pierced his soul. He was still for a second, but flinched a little. He blinked and saw that the eyes belonged to the young girl he found the previous night.

She stumbled backward and whimpered a bit. Piccolo shook his head, snapping himself out of the lightheaded state he was in and withdrew from his sitting position. "You're awake." He said lightheartedly. She backed a little further away. "N-no, don't be scared. I don't want to hurt you...and I'm not going to either."

The girl stepped forward slightly. Piccolo held his hand out slowly. The girl reached for it. She retreated a bit at first, but realized that Piccolo meant her no harm and touched his large palm with her small hands. Her skin was cold and satin-soft. He smiled inwardly. " Do you have a name?" He asked, trying not to grin. The girl thought for a second, and then proceeded to point at Piccolo. "M-my name...?" He asked, slightly confused. She nodded. "My name is Piccolo." She mouthed it, then smiled a little, liking the way it rolled off her tongue. The small female started writing in the dirt. She finally inscribed the word 'Incendia' into the ground. "That's your name?" Piccolo asked, trying to pronounce it mentally. She nodded. "...It is...Uhh..." He stammered, wondering what language that could be in. Incendia looked at him curiously and cocked her head to one side. "...You don't talk much, do you?" Piccolo said quickly, trying to change the subject.

Incendia blushed and looked a bit sad. She shook her head. "W-what? Did I offend you?" Piccolo asked with a hint of concern. She shook her head again.

Piccolo was so intrigued by this girl, this mysterious girl that just fell into his life so suddenly. Where did she come from, and of all places she could've ended up, why did she show up here? Piccolo assumed that he'd never find out, which, strangely enough, he was completely fine with. "...What are you, Incendia?" He asked without thinking. Incendia tilted her head to the left slightly, looking at the Namek with confusion in her eyes, but soon understood what he was actually talking about. She drew a simple stick figure in the dirt. "...Human..." Piccolo said, following her picture. She the wrote 'fox-cat' next to that. "So, you are human and 'fox-cat'?" He questioned, seeing how it correlated with her animal-like features. She then drew an arrow into Piccolo's direction. He thought for a second, then asked, "Namekian...?" Incendia nodded. "But all Namekians are male."

She shook her head again. She drew a circle graph, a quarter of it for 'Human', and the remaining three quarters were reserved for 'Namekian', 'Cat', and 'Fox', occupying them respectively.

"I'm not even going to ask." Piccolo finally sighed. "How old are you, Incendia?"

"...I..." She finally worked up the nerve to speak to him in her soft feminine voice, but the small action was making her face flush. "...Seventeen years old, Sir..."

"What were you doing out there alone last night? You could've died." Piccolo scolded mildly.

"...My sincerest...apologies...Mister Piccolo..." Incendia sighed, rubbing her arm nervously.

He remembered his old student briefly and Incendia sounded too much like Gohan for Piccolo's liking at that moment. "Just call me Piccolo." He insisted.

"Yes, Mist-...Piccolo." Incendia sighed, "I have been so rude...not speaking to you. So, allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Incendia Marceline Nochte Ignitus. I got my name from my genetic makeup...but originally...I was Experiment X-F13..."

"You were created in a Biochemistry lab...?" Piccolo asked, his eyes wide with shock. He recalled Gohan droning on about Genetic Engineering one day, and made the assumption from the summarized information he picked up on.

"Indeed," Incendia exhaled, "I escaped about a year ago, but I had no knowledge of what life outside would be. You see...I am...one of three escaped Projects. But I am the only Firefox-Cat-Human-Namekian hybrid. I wasn't suppose to contain Namek DNA, but my creation went a little haywire..."

"I see." Piccolo said, becoming more interested.

"And...I haven't had the chance to...say..." Incendia's face turned purple again, "...Thank you for saving me...Piccolo..."

"That violet...you're Namek alright..." Piccolo remarked. Incendia giggled, but then became serious again quite quickly.

"Do you have any clothes I can have to wear for now?" Incendia asked, a bit timidly. She sat down slowly and sighed, "...I know I must be asking a lot of you...but these are kind of worn..." Piccolo examined them quickly. They were almost like old rags, and they were covered in holes and torn. Not to mention they were nearly exposing her.

"Indeed...I'll get you some soon..."

"Thank you...for you hospitality...it isn't like you...to be so...kind..." Incendia sighed, looking at the ground.

Piccolo was baffled, confused, and embarrassed, so he shouted, "W-What's that suppose to mean?! How would you even know...?!" He then realized that she was right. He wasn't the kindest person to anyone, including the people he cared most about. When he emerged from his thoughts again, he saw that Incendia looked hurt. "...I...didn't mean that..." Piccolo said, his face tinting purple.

Incendia nodded understandingly. "If you had not yet realized..." Incendia's eyes twinkled as she whispered, "...Your soul reads like an open novel...so fluid and quick, but it has one underlying theme...You're lonely." Incendia smiled nervously.

Piccolo wondered if Incendia spoke the truth about his being. He's always preferred isolation, yet he wished it to be different. "...You are very wise for such a young girl...Incendia..." He finally muttered.

Incendia grinned and reached into a small, brown pouch on her waist. When her hand come back out, it was empty. She was almost beaming, however. She then started to take her shirt off. "...What are you doing...?!" Piccolo shouted, covering his eyes with his left hand.

"I have to find somewhere to bathe. I'm dirty. Professor said that I must always stay clean." Incendia insisted, continuing to remove it.

"Don't you think you should find that place before you up and strip?" Piccolo questioned with his eyes still covered.

"Aren't you coming with me?" Incendia asked, cocking her head. "I can't bathe by myself."

"Why?"

"I never learned."

"There's nothing to learn, Incendia."

"Then why don't I know how?"

"...Are you going to make me give you a demonstration or something...?"

"That sounds great! I bet you take baths all by yourself, huh?" Incendia said in awe. Piccolo began to think that his previous assumption was inaccurate.

"This girl really doesn't know how the world works..." He chuckled lightly. "Come, Child." He slipped his armor back on. Piccolo walked Incendia outside and grabbed her by the waist. Incendia blushed again. Then, Piccolo levitated off the ground. Incendia was frightened, as she never flown before. Terror filled her eyes, and dug into Piccolo's large hands. He winced a bit as blood trickled down his fingers. "You needn't be afraid," He explained, trying to pry her hands off of his as gingerly as possible, "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." She looked uncertain at first, but she, and she tilted her head to look at him. Piccolo saw her sparkling eyes again. For the moment that they glimmered, he could see to her very soul. It was more pure than even Goku's spirit.

Incendia turned herself around in Piccolo's hands to face him. She grabbed the fabric of his shirt, gripped it tightly and she closed her eyes. Piccolo blushed a bit, as he'd never been this close to a female of any kind. _"She's so young and beautiful...so innocent..."_ He thought.

He flew up and put an arm around her back. Incendia tensed enough that Piccolo could feel it. "Is there something wrong?" He asked, showing concern. Her face turned violet and her eyes stayed shut. She had somewhat of an unreadable expression. Piccolo kept flying, but glimpsed down at her every few seconds. The duo passed over vast, grassy fields as the clouds overhead floated by on the west-blowing breeze. Piccolo felt unusually blissful as he felt the wind in his face and Incendia faint heartbeat against his chest. He sighed wistfully.

Finally, they arrived at Piccolo's waterfall. "Incendia, you might want to see this." Still, her eyes were closed, and her violet blush had significantly deepened. "Incendia...? What's the matter?" As Piccolo was setting Incendia down, he accidentally rubbed against her sensitivity, and she let out a cry of ecstasy. She then fell to the ground, unconscious. "What the Hell?!" Piccolo swore. He picked up her body. Her head hung over his arm, her face was flush, and she breathed heavily.

"What did I do?" He wondered. Regardless, he held her until she came to. She blinked a few times, then looked at him with a sparkle in her eyes.

Incendia sighed, placing her hand to Piccolo's chest. "What is it? What happened? Are you okay?" He asked frantically. She nodded. "What happened to make you faint?"

"You...gave me the experience that the Professor use to give me..."

"...What...'experience', Incendia...?" Piccolo asked, hoping it wasn't what he thought it was.

"Well, Professor used to make me wrap my eyes in a blindfold to restrict my vision. It was part of the tests he conducted. Then, he would make me feel something he called...'pleasure',I recollect, right here," She said, pointing to her groin, "And he gave me a special capsule, so that I am...'pleasured' a lot now." Incendia rolled out of his arms onto the muddy ground. She liked the cold dampness of the clay, and she pushed her hands into it and giggled.

Piccolo, however, swore under his breath. "He's been using her as a sex toy, whoevhey his sick son-of-a-bitch is..." He snapped out of his own thoughts and looked back up at Incendia, who was completely naked. He covered his eyes again. "Can you please give some warning before you do that? It isn't right for a man to look at you when you're like that."

She grabbed her tail and wrapped it around her body."Okay, I'm sorry..." Incendia said, walking slowly to the edge of the water. She started taking in the scenery that surrounded her. The crystal blue water seemed untainted as the falls rushed into the pool. It foamed and rippled unsteadily in the reserve and sparkled from the early morning sunlight dancing on top of it.

Piccolo smirked and chuckled while Incendia stared in awe at the beauty he'd been taking for granted for some time now. He had seen it a thousand times over, but never once stopped to admire its serenity like she did.

Incendia couldn't resist the temptation of the sparkling liquid and she stepped in. The water, cool and calm at the shore, took the warmth from Incendia's body, but she enjoyed it immensely. She took a few more steps, but there lied a sudden drop-off that took her by surprise. Incendia was down so fast that she couldn't even open her mouth for a single breath. As soon as she realized her feet didn't touch the bottom, she began to panic. Her entire body was completely submerged, a deep aqua color blurring her vision. She frantically moved her arms and legs in all directions.

Piccolo waited calmly on-shore for Incendia to surface. He smirked and crossed his arms, wondering how long she could keep it up.

Incendia finally came up, but only for a split-second, which she used to give a sheepish, airless gasp for help. Her sight became even blurrier than before, and her my head began to spin, and her body became so numb, she couldn't even feel my own existence anymore. Incendia felt trapped in her mental prison, talking to herself. Her lungs were burning and she thought, "...It hurts..." As a black haze filled her mind, and she began to relax, she started to think, "Th-this must be...what it feels like...to die..."

Piccolo removed his weights as quickly as he could and dove into the water, intent on finding Incendia, who neglected to emerge from the water after an agonizingly long four minutes. The water burned his eyes slightly, but it became irrelevant when he saw the girl. She was trembling at the bottom of the pool, and she was even paler than usual. He swam for what felt like hours before finally reaching Incendia. Piccolo grabbed her arm and dragged her up to the surface. He gently place her quivering body on the shoreline and stepped out of the water, coughing and gasping for air.

Incendia lie motionless on the cold grassy ground. Piccolo put an ear to her bare, still chest. No pulse. He took a deep breath and started CPR, blowing air into her lungs, and forcing water up through her mouth. Violet blood leaked from her mouth as she coughed violently, shaking and inhaling deeply. Her eyelids fluttered, and she almost lost consciousness again, but kept herself alert and awake.

Piccolo breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you alright?" He asked, taking her small body into his arms. She looked at him, then her blank expression turned to one of fear and sadness. She gripped his sopping-wet Gi tightly and buried her face in his chest. Incendia sobbed audibly, and Piccolo held her close.

"...That was so scary..." Incendia cried, her voice muffled slightly. "I thought I was...going to...die...and then...I'd never get to...see you again..." Piccolo frowned and felt a gut-wrenching remorse welling up inside.

"...I'm so sorry...Incendia..." Piccolo said, his voice shaking ever-so slightly. "...I shouldn't have let that happen to you..." He pet her hair softly. Incendia instinctively wrapped her tail around Piccolo's waist. "...I promise...I will always keep you safe." Piccolo declared, caressing her cheek softly and wiping her tears away.

—

Piccolo pressed a towel Incendia and rubbed it gently across her body. It hung in a distant tree in the sun for a few hours, so it was warm and soft.

Incendia giggled happily, "It tickles, Piccolo!" Piccolo chuckled and continued to dry her. He stared intently at her pale, supple, baby-smooth skin. He could imagine licking and nibbling on her tender flesh, hearing her pleasured moans...

"What are you thinking, Piccolo?!" He growled at himself, "She's only a child!" Piccolo soon realized that he tensed up and rubbed Incendia too hard. Patches of her skin looked irritated, and gained a purplish-red tint.

"That sort of...hurt, Piccolo..." Incendia sighed, looking at him with her red eyes flickering.

"My mistake," Piccolo said apologetically, "I just had something on my mind."

"What was it?" Incendia asked curiously.

"You're...too young to understand."

"How do you know?"

"I just do," Piccolo said, clearly looking to change the subject, "So, Incendia, tell me...Why did you spend so much time alone? Surely you could've found your way to a city after so long..."

"City?" Incendia asked, tilting her head, "What is city?"

Piccolo paused for a moment to process what he just heard, then recollected what she said a few hours ago. He massaged the white towel over her head and chuckled, "Never-mind it now."

Incendia giggled again and looked Piccolo on the eyes. "I like you, Piccolo. You're funny."

Piccolo gained a light purple tint on his face. "You're a very sweet girl, Incendia." He chuckled, smirking, "And you're-...!" He was stopped abruptly as Incendia pressed her lips to his. Piccolo's eyes shot open and he blushed violently. Her lips were cold, sweet and soft, while his were rough, warm, and spicy. Piccolo absorbed every second greedily, but Incendia quickly broke away.

She was blushing lightly when she saw Piccolo's shocked expression and asked, "What's wrong?"

Piccolo stammered, "...What...What was...THAT for...?"

"Because," Incendia said simply.

"Why?"

"You asked for it."

"...I what...?!"

"Your eyes said it all. You need a friend." She decided that it was the only appropriate way to show her appreciation.

Piccolo shook his head and sighed, "Listen to me, Incendia," Her ears perked up, and he continued, "Friends don't kiss 'friends'...You can only do that for the man you...love..." He pet her hair, "...Do you understand?" Incendia looked disappointed and her ears sunk down to her head, but she nodded. "...Good..." Piccolo muttered. He kept telling himself that it was for the best that she never found out his secret, almost instant affection for her. The caring, sensitive, feminine companionship he do desperately longed for...and he kept her at arm's length.

Incendia sighed. She thought he loved her, as that's what Professor Magnum told her love was suppose to be. He use to treat her with the same hospitality and caring nature, but just did a lot of 'tests'. But, yet, she felt a deep connection with Piccolo. There was something about him that Incendia found irresistible. "Maybe I like his seriousness...his firm muscles, or his suave smirk..." She became lost in her thoughts of passion and, though she didn't know, lust for Piccolo and blushed deeply.

Piccolo finished drying Incendia and said, "Alright, you're all finished." Incendia was still daydreaming, but stood up and wrapped the drying cloth around her shivering body. She was silent, which slightly concerned Piccolo. He stood up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked, to which Incendia nodded.

Incendia focused on something in the distance, and her ears twitched and her tail swayed rhythmically. Her eyes narrowed and she hissed. Incendia shrugged of Piccolo's large, green hand and stepped forward slowly. She heard the distinct rustle of a creature in the brush and pounced into the foliage, all without losing her towel. Piccolo looked on with suspicion and stepped closer. He heard a girlish shriek and growling, and stumbled backward, looking around frantically. More rustling. He turned in a circle, prepared to defend himself.

All of a sudden, a limp body fell out of a tree behind Piccolo. He spun around and surveyed the person. There were several deep, bloody scratches on the man's skin, and a large bite wound on his neck. As the crimson fluid seeped out of the flesh, Incendia hopped out of the tree.

Her eyes glowed red by this time, and she was still growling lowly. She circled around him on all fours, intent on making sure he didn't get back up. Her mouth dripped with claret liquid and her teeth were stained. Piccolo knelt down, touching two fingers to the stranger's neck. His expression turned to one of shock and horror as he became truly competent of the situation at hand. The innocent, pure little girl Piccolo just saved...murdered a man in cold blood.

Piccolo grabbed Incendia from the ground and held her up by her shoulders. "What were you thinking?!" He shouted at her, shaking with frustration, "You just killed someone! Why would you murder an innocent man?!" Piccolo focused long enough to see a deep gash in the side of Incendia neck and a smaller cut on her left cheek. Both wounds were bleeding.

Incendia looked at Piccolo, then down at the corpse, then back at him. She wiggled out of Piccolo's grip. Blinded by her tears and feeling of utter betrayal, she ran into the forest again. Piccolo chased after her, but she was faster than he thought. In an instant, she clawed her way up the trunk of a tree and disappeared.

Piccolo swore at himself, knowing he shouldn't fly off the handle the way he did. He sighed, and muttered "What the Hell have I done...?"


	3. Chapter 3

_**As requested by my viewers via Private Message and Reviews, I am happy to say that Part 3 is finished. Yes, I realize that is much short than Part 2, but I have pattern going. So, without further delay, here is Part 3.**_

Incendia sat alone in a tree, sobbing quietly. She touched her index finger to her neck and winced with pain. Her hair blew around gracefully, but her heart was heavy like a stone. **Why did he yell at me that way?" She wondered aloud, "I trying only to protect him..."**

**Piccolo flew slowly through the trees, calling for Incendia. He felt ill, knowing he hadn't asked questions first instead of shouting at the girl. But, frankly, he didn't know any other way to get things done.**

**Incendia could almost feel Piccolo coming and tried desperately to flee, but the branch she stood upon gave way with an audible crack. She shrieked, and fell for several feet, smacking against smaller twigs. They whipped past her quickly, and she curled up, trying to avoid them. **

**Incendia felt herself stop abruptly. She floated calmly, a sense of safety washing over her. She opened her eyes, knowing the touch she felt on her body, and saw Piccolo's arms wrapped around her. "Incendia..." Piccolo barely managed to say.**

**She beat on his arms and yelled at him, "Let me go! I don't need you or your help!" **

**Piccolo looked baffled and muttered, "But you were about to-!"**

**"No! Just leave me be!"**

**"Incendia, you're hurt!"**

**"I don't care! I can handle anything on my own!"**

**"I refuse to let you deal with this by yourself, Young Lady! Now, stop fighting me!"**

**"You didn't care about me before! The only thing you cared for is that bounty-hunter and his miserable life!" Incendia shouted, balling up her fist and punching Piccolo in the side of the face. He never felt force like that from a single blow, and released her. Piccolo relocated his jaw with a pop and grimaced.**

**Incendia landed on her feet softly and sprinted away again. Hell-bent on getting away from Piccolo, she did one of the only things she knew how, and quickly morphed into a male hiker. **

**Incendia's body and face became larger and more masculine almost instantly. Her arms and legs stretched, strengthened, and sprouted thick hair. Her face transformed into that of a man with chiseled features, and gained a five o'clock shadow. Her towel shifted into hiking equipment, and she slowed her sprint to a brisk walk. The ground sunk beneath her large feet. Her heart began to race, as she** **knew it wouldn't be able to fool Piccolo for long for her voice and red eyes would remain the same.**

**Piccolo quickly spotted the hiker and shouted, "Have you seen a teenage girl running around?" Incendia shook her head slowly and continued to walk without turning around. Piccolo narrowed his gaze and walked up behind him. "You don't know who you're dealing with, do you?" He said in a low voice, determined to get the knowledge out of him.**

**The disguised Incendia turned around and said, "I don't think you any idea who YOU are dealing with..." She quickly changed back to her normal self. Her clothes returned to a simple towel, and she growled, "I am no child." Her eyes glowed brightly.**

**Piccolo stepped back quickly. The wind whirled around him. "What the Hell has come over you?!" He demanded, feeling abashed and irritated.**

**Incendia glared at Piccolo as the summer breeze picked up her hair again. "I'm so sorry that I did such a bad thing! I'm a bad girl, just like Magnum used to tell me!" Incendia hissed. Incendia's ears and tail twitched with rage as she spoke. "If someone told you that they were going to put you back in a cage after 16 years of being locked up, how would you feel?! I have a bounty of five-hundred million zenie on my head!" She looked away and sighed, "If you knew that you were a mistake that people wanted nothing more than to destroy...you would've done the same, no?"**

**Piccolo felt a familiar pit forming in his stomach. He hadn't considered what life must have been like for Incendia in that lab, pent up in a cage, not knowing what life outside was like.**

**"I was wrong to trust you..." Incendia sighed, "To think, I was actually starting to like you...how naïve of me..."**

**"Incendia, wait!" Piccolo said angrily, "I was wrong, okay?" He felt foolish and looked at the ground. "...I shouldn't have yelled at you...and..." He choked on his own words, beginning to regret them, "...You have every reason not to trust me...I wouldn't be surprised if you walked away from me forever...but..."**

**Incendia's ears fell to her head and blushed lightly. Her eyes stopped glowing. "You're...apologizing...to me...?" She asked, walking toward him slowly, and Piccolo nodded. His hands were curled into fist as the underlying fear of losing Incendia manifested inside his mind. Incendia got closer and sighed, "...You...I can't just...leave you..." Incendia wrapped her arms around Piccolo and hugged him tightly. He blushed furiously when he heard Incendia purring.**

**"You aren't mad..." Piccolo said, stroking Incendia's hair softly. Her tail waved slowly, and her blush deepened. "...I truly am...sorry...I wasn't thinking straight...I think..." He wanted to, but didn't finish his statement. Instead, he asked, "Could you forgive me...?"**

**Incendia contemplated it for a moment, then said, "...How could I not...?" She looked Piccolo in the eyes. The signature gleam appeared as she whispered, "...I don't have anybody but you..."**

**Piccolo cradled her pale face in one of his hands. Incendia smiled, her face flushed faintly. "Promise me something." Incendia requested, placing her hand over Piccolo's.**

**"What is it?"**

**"Promise me that..."**

**"...Incendia?"**

**"...Promise me that we'll never fight again..." Incendia finally whispered, wrapping her fingers around his. "For lack of better terminology...I don't like it...It makes me feel...weird and...sad..."**

**Piccolo ran his fingers through Incendia straight, pitch-black, silky hair. "...So be it..." He replied, smirking.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, hello, my wonderful audience. Now, first things first. I wish to thank you all so much for your contributions to my story. So far, your reviews have been nothing but wonderful. You've even chosen to disregard my many errors in formatting and that one in Part 2 with the weird spelling of the word 'whoever', as I have a janky computer...But nonetheless, I appreciate everything you do immensely. But now, without further delay, please enjoy Part 4 of 'Alone Together'. :3**

* * *

"Are you positive that you don't need my help with that?" Piccolo asked for the hundredth time as he witnessed Incendia, who perched on a low-lying tree limb, wrap her neck wound in a new layer of gauze.

"Correct again, Piccolo," Incendia giggled, severing the last piece of her bandage cleanly and tying it in a knot. She remembered her older caretaker's offers for help and sighed, "You are beginning to sound more and more like Magnum every day..."

Piccolo frowned and looked around, checking for anything suspicious. Upon hearing nothing but the whispering of restless leaves and and a bird calling high above them, he said, "Alright, out with it. Who is this 'Magnum' person you're always speaking of?"

Incendia smiled and replied, "I thought you'd never express that curiosity you have of him." She tugged slightly at the collar of her dark grey hoodie labeled 'Firefox' across the front in bold black letters. "He is the man responsible for my creation. He made me who I am. And..." She paused for a moment to reminisce, "When he didn't scold me for being a bad girl, he was extremely nice...And remind me to make some more of these sweatshirts."

"...Do you have any idea where he might be?" Piccolo said, attempting to cloak his frustration at the things being said and ignoring her last comment.

"I...I don't, actually..." Incendia sighed, staring at ground below, "...The laboratory was decommissioned and destroyed, to my knowledge."

"So the sick bastard can't practice anymore of his so called 'experiments'..." Piccolo muttered.

"Hm?" Incendia asked.

"...Nothing..."

"...Do you take me for a simpleton, Piccolo?" Incendia asked, cocking an eyebrow and smirking.

"Wh-what?" Piccolo stammered, "No, why would you ask something like that?"

Incendia brushed her onyx hair from her face. "Because you seem to think you can lie to me."

"...Sometimes lying is better than the truth...especially when you're trying to protect someone you care about..." Piccolo explained, placing a hand on Incendia's shoulder.

"Do...you...care...about me?" Incendia asked, her ears dropping to her head.

Piccolo looked at Incendia's scintillating eyes, practically afraid to answer. He ruffled her hair playfully and smirked. "Of course I do."

Incendia smiled and giggled, "Thank you, Piccolo." She hugged him tightly and purred quietly.

Piccolo let a smile grace his face, relieved that he wouldn't have to be completely honest about it. "Incendia, I want you to meet some of my colleagues today." He stated.

Incendia tilted her head to one side. "Colleagues...? You mean people with which you do business and work with?"

Piccolo chuckled, "You're very analytical. And yes, that is one way to put it."

Suddenly, he felt a strong Ki headed straight for them. Incendia growled and glared up at the sky. "What is that?" She hissed.

"Calm down, Incendia," Piccolo said, grabbing her wrist, "It's just my old student."

Incendia looked at him with a confused expression. "You mean Son Gohan? Why is he coming here?"

Gohan landed behind Piccolo and Incendia. "Piccolo! How've you been?!" He asked enthusiastically.

Incendia turned around to see a young boy no older than ten standing there in clothes almost identical to her mentor's outfit. She looked at him, then at Piccolo, then back at Gohan. She began to laugh uncontrollably, feeling foolish for fearing a small boy.

"What's she laughing at? And...who is she?" Gohan said defensively, crossing his arms. "A girl? With Piccolo? What alternate universe did I just fly into...?" He wondered.

"I'm not quite sure, but she should probably learn some restraint." Piccolo lectured, releasing Incendia's arm.

Incendia started to calm down and giggled, "Don't be such a killjoy, Master Piccolo, I was just poking fun at him."

Piccolo gained a purple tint on his face and her muttered, "Indeed."

Gohan cocked an eyebrow when he saw his teacher blushing. "What's up with Piccolo today...?" He mentally questioned. "It isn't like him to be embarrassed by anything..."

"How impertinent of me," Incendia sighed, "I haven't introduced myself. My name is Incendia Ignitus." She smiled sweetly.

Gohan blushed and smiled back. "I'm Gohan. Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine." Incendia insisted. "So...why exactly are you here, Gohan? You look a bit young to be out on your own..."

"Actually, I was coming to get Piccolo. My father wanted to see if he could train with us today." Gohan answered.

Piccolo realized that tending to Incendia distracted him long enough to forget his previously promised training session. "...Yes, well I..." He stuttered.

Incendia interjected, "He is going to be there. I'm actually going to observe it. In fact, he was just talking of making the journey to meet you. Isn't that right, Piccolo?" She elbowed him lightly.

"Ahh, yes," Piccolo said, playing along, "She's right."

"Are you sure about that, Piccolo?" Gohan asked, feeling unsure about the idea, "I mean, what if Incendia gets hurt?"

Piccolo actually neglected to think about the risk of taking Incendia along.

"I assure you, Gohan, I can take care of myself," Incendia asserted reassuringly, "Any and all harm that comes to me is strictly my burden to bare."

Gohan, though unconvinced, nodded and said, "Well, alright then. You look like you could, I suppose."

Piccolo sighed and shook his head. "We'd better get going," He told them. Incendia climbed on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Okay, I'm ready." Incendia declared, smiling.

"This is trippy..." Gohan concluded, taking to the sky, "Is something going on between them that they don't want me to know about...?"

"Gohan?" Incendia asked, gazing at him, "Is there something bothering you?" He shook his head, still unsure of what to believe. But, despite his uneasiness about the situation, he continued to fly.

Soon the trio passed over large buildings and houses, something Incendia never imagined she'd see. "What are those?!" She exclaimed with amazement, "Why is it so BIG?! And there are so many of them!"

Piccolo chuckled at her naïveté. "They're called 'skyscrapers'," Gohan explained, "They're part of the city. It's where people go to work."

Incendia made a face and said, "What on Earth does scraping the sky have to do with work?"

Gohan laughed, "Well, haven't you ever seen them before? They're everywhere! People live there because everything is so close and easy to get to."

"What exactly is 'everything'? Because if 'everything' was piled together, it would cause it to gravitational collapse under its own mass

and form a black hole, right?" Incendia questioned.

Piccolo shook his head, unable to comprehend anything Incendia said.

"Yeah, but...Uhh...Well, it isn't 'everything', just a lot of things that people use to live."

"..Such as...?"

"...Uhh...Food, clothes, medicine, capsules-"

"Capsules?" Incendia wondered aloud.

"You don't know what a Capsule is either. You've got a lot of studying to do..." Gohan concluded as they landed on a snow-capped mountain. "My dad should be around here somewhere."

Incendia looked around nervously and shivered. "Why is it so cold here? I am not enjoying this one bit." Piccolo let her down gently, and as her unprotected feet hit the fluffy, untainted snow, she gasped, "What dark sorcery is this?! This ground is bitterly frigid!" She sunk into the blanket of whiteness to her ankles. "This is absolutely benumbing!" She sighed.

Piccolo gave her a very bewildered look. "Don't you have moccasins?" Gohan questioned, unable to see her feet.

"No need to look so perturbed, Piccolo," Incendia stated flatly, lifting her left foot up to examine it, "And, I do not own a functional pair, I'm afraid. Sounds a bit daft, as I have come to understand..."

"Well, sort of...I can give you mine if you'd like." Gohan offered, preparing to take them off.

"That's quite alright, Gohan," Incendia said, putting her hand up with friendly rejection, "I'll be fine."

Gohan stood upright and shrugged. "Whatever you say."

"Gohan," Piccolo said, crossing his arm, "I thought you said Goku would be here."

"He said he'd be here already, I swear." Gohan sighed, "It isn't like him to be late..."

Piccolo chuckled sarcastically, "Yeah, right." He rolled his eyes and added flatly, "Since when? Punctuality's never been his forte."

Incendia started looking around with an adventurous sparkle in her eye and wandered away while her Piccolo and Gohan continued to talk. She hopped on rocks and back off again, beginning to appreciate the crunch the graupel made under her small feet. She giggled and walked forward.

"Hey!" Incendia heard the voice man's voice call. She looked up to see him walking toward her. Incendia's heart raced and she broke into a cold sweat as she back-tracked slowly.

"Who could that be?!" She wondered as he came closer. His hair stood up and spiked out. He looked like some sort of body-builder, and he wore a bright orange training outfit. "I wouldn't like to find out! He looks awfully mean!"

Incendia pivoted quickly on her heel and took off hastily another direction. With no intention of discovering who this stranger could be, she began to sprinted.

"Hey!" Goku called after Incendia, "Wait! I just want to ask you some questions!" Incendia, however, ignored his request and gained speed. Goku chased after her, snow flying up from each footstep.

"N-No!" Incendia cried, squeezing her eyes shut, "P-Piccolo! Help!" Fear consumed her mind when she realized how far she aimlessly ambled.

Piccolo surveyed the area. "Did you hear that? It sounded like..."

"Incendia! Where'd she go?!" Gohan asked, sounding concern. "Do you think she's in trouble?!"

"I'm not sure, I can't feel her Ki signature!" Piccolo claimed, running in a random direction. Gohan followed after him as they heard another scream echo through the mountain.

"She could cause an avalanche with that high a frequency!" Gohan panted, "We've got to get to her quickly!"

"That does it!" Incendia wept as tears burned her eyes. She raised her hands to the air, and an immense wall of snow shot up from the ground right before Goku's eyes. As he slowed down, Incendia shouted, "I said, 'Leave me alone'!" and hurled her hands back down. The ice wall came crashing down over Goku's head. Incendia smiled nervously, but in her hurry to get away, she neglected to watch her step and soon tripped. She fell face-first into the whiteness.

Piccolo recognized Goku's energy and rushed toward it just as Incendia struggled back to her feet, spitting snow onto the ground. She crept slowly over to the pile where Goku lied and inspected it carefully.

"Incendia!" Piccolo yelled, spinning her around quickly and looking the girl up and down, "What happened?! Are you hurt?!"

"Calm yourself," Incendia chuckled nervously, "I am okay...but I'm not sure about him." Incendia pointed at the mound of snow that Gohan studied intently.

Suddenly, a large hand popped out, shivering from the icy coffin Incendia prematurely buried him in. Gohan stumbled backward and muttered, "D-Dad...?!"

Goku pushed his way through the snow and shook his hair out. "Hey, Son," He said, waving, "Piccolo? You're here? I thought you'd never show up."

Piccolo slapped his hand to his forehead. "God...damn it, Goku..." He swore under his breath.

"Who's the cute little girl?" Goku questioned, "Are you watchin' her for someone or something?"

"Kind of," Piccolo stated vaguely.

"Whoever she is, she must be pretty strong to have knocked me over like that. What's your name?" Goku asked.

Incendia, still shaken from the experience, managed to sheepishly whisper her name. Goku smiled. "Incendia. Sounds foreign. And what kind of accent is that?"

Incendia, Gohan, and Piccolo stared at Goku. "I thought my heritage was undetectable..." Incendia murmured. Piccolo didn't even recognize that Incendia possessed a light European accent, nor would he've even thought to ask about it.

"It's...Swedish..." Incendia confessed, looking at her aching feet.

"Sounds fancy," Goku said, smiling, "Say, do you think you could teach me to do that thing with the snow? I think it'd really come in handy."

Incendia sighed, "I'm sorry to inform you that...well...I don't think I can teach you..."

Goku frowned, "Why not?"

Piccolo said, "Goku, don't pester her with such frivolous questions. She's already given her answer."

"Now, Piccolo," Incendia lectured, "Mind your temper. The reason, Goku, is that I was created for tasks like that. To manipulate my surroundings to serve my Master."

"Who is your master?" Goku asked, overlooking Piccolo's request. Piccolo rolled his eyes and crossed his arms again.

"Well, that's an easy one," Incendia said with a downward flick of her wrist, "It's..." She stopped and thought for a moment, but finally concluded, "...I don't exactly...have one right now."

"Can I be your new master?!" Goku asked enthusiastically, raising his hand.

"Goku," Piccolo growled, "Knock it off."

Goku rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously. "It was only a joke."

"I don't mean to interrupt," Gohan finally interject, "But aren't we suppose to be training?"

"I suppose you're right, Gohan." Incendia said, waving her tail in the air. "Shall we begin, gentlemen?"

"Oh, no," Piccolo said, "You are to sit still on this rock. If you freak out like that when you encounter someone like Goku, it's best that you stay put."

"No fair," Incendia sighed, plopping down on the rock and crossing her arms over her chest, "Why do men always have all the fun...?"

"Come on, Piccolo," Gohan pleaded, "You've gotta let her spar with us."

"Yeah, Piccolo," Goku added, "What's the worst that could happen?"

Piccolo didn't want to think about all the things he knew could go horribly wrong and said, "It's too dangerous for her."

"Could I at least go up against Gohan?" Incendia suggested, "He's just a child."

"And a Saiyan. No means no, Incendia."

"Give me one legitimate reason why I can't."

"Like I said, it's too dangerous."

"Okay, and fighting the Androids will be a play-date." Incendia huffed.

Piccolo stared at her with wide eyes. "I don't remember telling her about the Androids...so, how does she know...?!"

"I'm much more clever than I may seem. I may be naïve, but I am no a simpleton," Incendia smirked.

Piccolo stood silently, his thoughts running together. He wondered what else she knew about. "If I don't prepare now, they'll kill me. I like life, so, naturally I'd like to keep my own. Savvy?"

"...Fine..." Piccolo sighed, "...You can train with us, but as soon as you're hurt, you're stopping, understand?"

"Yes, Master." Incendia said, nodding and smiling, "I understand, "I am more that happy to comply."

"Wait," Goku said, "I thought you said you didn't have a master."

Incendia turned to face Goku. "That is correct."

"But you just called Piccolo 'Master'..."

"Well, he is my mentor and...my best friend...And it isn't the same dynamic. Are you implying that you've never had a Sensai before?" Incendia questioned, tilting his head to one side, trying her hardest not to blush.

Goku pondered Incendia's statement for a moment. Then, he chuckled, "Well, can't argue with that, I guess."

Incendia seemed focused on nothing as snow began to snake its way up her legs. "It's just like ice!" She giggled, tying her rapidly color-shifting hair up quickly as the flurry encased her, "Fun, yes?"

Gohan stammered, "Wh-What's g-going on with her...?!"

"I wish I could tell you..." Piccolo responded, just as confused as the boy.

"Snow armor," Goku snickered, "Not a bad technique." Piccolo and Gohan slowly turned their heads back to Incendia, who completed her ice-suit.

A helmet of crystallized water enveloped her head and silverish hair, revealing only her intense red eyes. The rest of the permafrost uniform fit snuggly on her figure, but her forearms and thighs were left exposed. She also managed to create literal snow-shoes that extended up her shins to her knees. Her frozen gloves curled tightly over her fingers and her chalky, white tail waved slowly behind her.

"H-How did you finish that so quickly?!" Gohan inquired apprehensively, putting a little more distance between them.

"Doesn't matter," Goku said, taking a fighting stance, "She's ready to fight."

"...So..." Incendia smirked, floating into the air, "...Who wants to play?" She clapped her hands together and glass-like shards of ice rained down on her opponents.

Piccolo, Goku, and Gohan dodged the barrage of icicles with relative ease, but they were each grazed by a shard or two by the time they stopped falling.

Goku seized the oppurtunity of cease-fire and attack Incendia with full force, assuming that she receives previous training, despite Piccolo's numerous warnings. He finally landed a hit after several attempts, but Incendia partially blocked it. The blow, however cracked her armor.

Gohan came from behind Incendia, planning a sneak attack. Just as he went to kick her, she vanished. He looked around desperately, trying to locate her Ki. Suddenly, Gohan felt a series of quick jabs to his left arm, which fell to his side, completely numb. "What the-?!" He shouted.

Incendia reappeared and continued to defend herself against Goku. She smirked when she realized her attack on Gohan succeeded.

Piccolo threw his weights to the ground and flew up to join the sparring. Incendia actively dodged and blocked their advances, until Gohan kicked her right in the head, shattering her helmet.

Incendia found herself in a tight spot, so she did what she knew best. She jabbed quickly up the right side Goku's body, rendering him incapacitated. He began a long decent down to Earth, as he had no control over his Ki anymore.

Gohan looked at Incendia in awe. She disappeared again and returned once more, but this time she floated behind him and judo-chopped the back of his neck swiftly. He followed his father to the snowy landscape.

Piccolo hovered in front of Incendia, utterly shocked. "When the Hell did she learn all of these things?!" Piccolo thought in utter shock and frustration, "It doesn't make sense...!" His contemplations ended abruptly as Incendia rushed at him. He punched at her, knocking bits of her ice armor off, demolishing it little by little.

Incendia's emotions began to conflict. "If I don't defend myself, Piccolo will never trust me to fight...but I don't have the desire to hurt him..." She thought sadly as one of her gloves was reduced to a few fragments. She decided to make it quick, so she jabbed him three times in the arm.

Piccolo lost his temper and drop-kicked Incendia into the ground.

Incendia growled and curled her hands into fists. She stood up and summoned two large large boulders to her side and flung them at Piccolo, who couldn't move his right arm.

He jumped out of the way, trying to compose his thoughts. "God Damn it!" He swore mentally, "Why did I do that?!"

Goku and Gohan both watched from the ground, plastered into the hard earth. "Dad, do you think...do you think there's something going on between that girl and Piccolo?"

Goku looked at Piccolo and sighed, "If he's ever been in love with anybody...it's gotta be her. Didn't think you were old enough to catch on."

Gohan smirked, "Mom might keep me on a short leash, but it isn't short enough for some things."

Goku laughed warmly, "She's a bit of a firecracker, and she packs a big punch for such a little girl."

The sky darkened, and thunder clapped around them. Incendia's eyes glowed brightly and she growled lowly.

A stunned Piccolo rapidly came to the ground. "Incendia, I-!" Lightining crashed to the ground.

Incendia's hair stood up on end and snaked around as her suit melted off of her body. "Non sum ludo rei..." She hissed in a mysteriously layered voice as the white-hot flash struck her body and surged to her finger tips.

Goku looked up and shouted, "Incendia! What're you doing?!"

Incendia continued to growl, and Piccolo stepped back. Goku felt an evil welling up within Incendia. "Piccolo! Get out of there!"

Gohan remained silent as an eerie air crept up around him. "Dad? What's going on?!"

The ground began to quake fiercely and a wicked grin edged across her face. "Incendia, don't! You'll kill him!" A weak, soft voice said in her mind. Another voice declared, "The only reason I won't is because I'm not strong enough yet..."

Incendia closed her eyes as the buzzing, numbing feeling of the electricity coursing through her became stronger.

"Piccolo!" Gohan shouted, unable to move. Piccolo felt powerless to stop Incendia as he watched Incendia smirk at him, her target.

Incendia quickly forced her hand into the air, redirecting the electrical discharge into the sky. She felt dizzy and weak, and she staggered around, struggling to stay on her feet. "...Piccolo..." She managed to sighed before succumbing to her fatigue and dullness. Just as the threatening clouds cleared up, she fell to the ground with a thud.

Piccolo rushed to her side and turned her over, slowly losing his ability to focus. Goku and Gohan remained immobilized.

"Piccolo! Stay away from her!" Goku cautioned from his spot, "That girl is evil! I can feel it!"

"Shut the Hell up, Goku." Piccolo demanded angrily, brushing her hair gently from her face.

Goku fell silent, a look of disbelief plastered on his face. "Did he really just...?" He thought, "...She tried to murder him...and he's worried about her. He smirked, "He's head over heels for her."

Gohan stared in wonderment at his old teacher as he lay on the ground. "What happened to the stone-faced, almost unfeeling Namek I knew...?" He frowned and sighed, "She's changed him...and I don't like it..."

* * *

"Piccolo, I know you must be feeling confused right now, but hear me out," Goku pleaded. He finally regained feeling over his body and slowly began to regain control. He sent Gohan back home to fully recover.

"What is it?" Piccolo asked, sounding uninterested in what he had to say, "If you're going to say she's...well...save it. I don't need to

hear it a second time."

"Then you felt it, too?" Goku inquired.

"Unfortunately," Piccolo muttered, looking at the girl in his arms, "I don't know why I didn't see it before..."

"Love's blind, Piccolo..." Goku stated, "...It's understandable."

"What are you going on about?" Piccolo asked defensively.

"You love her...don't you?"

"Don't be absurd."

"Piccolo."

"...And what if I do...?"

"So, you do?"

"What the Hell do you want from me?" Piccolo retorted, "Even if I do, it isn't your place to interrogate me."

Goku conceded, "You're right...but I'm just warning you...She is unstable. Don't push her too far, or it might come back to bite you."


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5**

"P-Piccolo..." Incendia sighed wistfully, staring deep into the Namek's eyes, "...Please...Just once..." She blushed deeply.

"How could I say no?" Piccolo said, placing Incendia gently placed her on a broad, flat boulder. He brought her close, planting kisses on her neck. He brought his lips to hers, kissing her tenderly. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and she submitted with a soft moan. Incendia pressed her body to Piccolo's and purred softly.

Piccolo broke the kiss and growled seductively as he started licking her trembling body. She moaned softly and tensed up.

Piccolo ceased the opportunity and slipped a hand in Incendia lacy, black underwear. "Ahh! Piccolo!" Incendia cried, grabbing his wrist. "What're you...?!" She tried to fight him at first, but slowly began to enjoy the treatment. "...Is this part if the training...?" She moaned quietly.

"You could say that..." He snickered darkly. He kept stroking her rhythmically, and started kissing her again, guiding her tongue around slowly.

Piccolo jolted himself awake. "That's the second time tonight..." He muttered to himself. He glimpsed over at Incendia, who was sleeping soundly on a tree branch. He began thinking about his harmless fantasies and frowned. For the past few days, they worked together. Piccolo taught Incendia the Magic Materialization technique that lied dormant in his mind, and fashioned her some new clothes, tight-fitting, aerodynamic training outfits and normal leisure wear being the dominant things among her new wardrobe.

She thoroughly enjoyed Piccolo's company, as it kept her entertained. She could ask him any question and he always knew the answer. However, he scolded her quite often, as he expected nothing less than extraordinary from her. He also drilled her constantly, trying to teach her defend herself without completely murdering her opponent.

Incendia could almost feel Piccolo staring at her and she opened her eyes slowly. Her gaze burned through the moonless night and Piccolo quickly looked away. "Go back to sleep, Child." He mumbled, slightly embarrassed after being caught.

"And why should I do that?" Incendia asked drowsily, propping herself up on her elbow.

"Because I told you to. We've both had a rough past few days, and I think it's best that you take time to rest." Piccolo asserted, crossing his arms.

"...What troubles you, Master Piccolo?" Incendia asked, knowing good and well that Piccolo wanted her asleep for a reason, "Your spirit wavers uneasily..."

"That," Piccolo stated, "Is none of your business."

"Isn't it?" Incendia sighed, flipping down from her branch. She landed gently on her feet.

"And why do you make me fly you around when you can fly yourself and always land on your feet?" Piccolo questioned, slightly irritated by her refusal to listen to his instructions.

"It's just air currents," Incendia said, "But that's beside the point." She looked him in the eyes and tilted her head. "I silently observe you, Piccolo. I watch you, as I am a friend...but in eyes...you are...condemned...Why?"

Piccolo sat flabbergasted and asked, "Wh-What do you mean...'condemned'...?"

Incendia smiled, "You are afraid to act...You desire nothing more than to let your emotions out. You want to be happy, but you remain restrained...almost timid..."

Piccolo looked Incendia in the eyes, speechless. "...Maybe she can read me like a book..." He sighed mentally.

Incendia leaned forward and softly kissed Piccolo's cheek. As he blushed, she whispered, "Good night, Piccolo," and quickly climbed back into her tree. She fell asleep almost instantly.

Piccolo exhaled deeply and smirked. He lifted his weights off of his body threw them to the ground. He let himself fall back and decided to do something that he hadn't done in a long time. He put his hands behind his head and gazed at the stars for the first time since he was a child. They seemed vast and endless.

He imagined the vast number of planets and people that scattered the everlasting universe. Then, he realized that among all those worlds, there wasn't another Incendia Marceline Nocte Ignitus like his anywhere else.

"Not a single one," Piccolo thought. He contemplated a bit more. "Despite all things I believed before..." He chuckled lightly and his lips curled into a smile, "...I think I really need this girl..."


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6

Incendia let her eyes flutter open in the new hours of the morning. She looked down at Piccolo and smiled. "He's asleep..." She giggled softly. She hopped off of her tree branch and landed on the ground without a sound and started to walk toward the woods and away from their cave.

"Incendia," Piccolo said without opening his eyes, "Where do you think you're going?"

"But weren't you just...?" Incendia inquired, glimpsing back at him and walking closer to the trees.

"Incendia..." Piccolo growled, feeling irritable at his unanswered question. He opened his

"Well, I am terribly sorry that I don't like sitting around doing nothing while a perfect sunrise is coming." Incendia huffed.

"You woke up...to watch the sun rise?"

"But of course."

"You would mind if I ask 'why', would you?"

Incendia made a face and questioned, "Why not? I haven't anything better to do with my time, so I thought watching the sunrise would be a philosophical oppurtunity for myself to enjoy."

Piccolo sighed, "If you say so..." Incendia stood still for a moment, still gazing at him with soft, wistful eyes. "Well, aren't you going?"

"Are you not planning to come with me? Incendia asked, frowning, "I thought you might want to...because..."

Piccolo noticed the sad expression on Incendia's face and sighed. "I'll go with you." He said, smirking and standing up. He walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, "It might be...fun..." He almost didn't believe that he said what he said. He never concerned himself with such trivial things like 'fun'. He also didn't really understand the concept of it, so he decided it came time to learn.

"Really?!" Incendia exclaimed excitedly, "You mean it?!" Her ears perked up and her tail swayed quickly.

Piccolo scratched the underside of her chin and chuckled when she began to purr. "Of course I mean it. Why else would I be up at four-thirty in the morning?"

Incendia giggled, "Okay, I'm convinced." She stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, causing Piccolo to blush.

"You're...uhh..." Piccolo stammered as she pressed her cheek to his. "Why does she taunt me like this...?!" He thought angrily. "She must know that I...have...'feelings'...for her...Or...maybe she doesn't..."

Incendia sighed inwardly, "How can I get his attention...? I want...well...him..."

Piccolo and Incendia gazed into each other's eyes for a few moments, and both of their faces tinted purple. Incendia's blushed deepened as Piccolo slowly pressed his lips to hers and his eyes closed. Incendia let her eyes shut and Piccolo brought his hand up to her face.

"Did I...really just do that...?!" Piccolo thought frantically, trying not to let the exchange end, "What do I do now...?!"

Incendia's ears sunk to her head and she deepened the kiss, sliding her violet tongue into his mouth. This surprised Piccolo, but he continued to kiss her regardless. He ran his hands up her profile lustfully and stroked the fur of her tail softly.

The summer breeze blew around them and they held each other tightly. Thirty seconds of pure passion Piccolo realized what he did and that he should not be doing it. "What are you doing?!" Piccolo growled at himself, "Damn it!" He broke the kiss and said, "...Incendia...this is wrong..."

Incendia sighed and her irises flashed a translucent purple color. "You don't mean that..." She didn't know if she believed what she said, but she desperately wanted to. She grabbed Piccolo's hand and said, "Come..."

Piccolo stared at her with his dark eyes, wondering if the kiss they shared meant as much to her as it did to him. Incendia led Piccolo up a hill and through a darkened forest. He couldn't see a thing. A branch smacked him in the face and he growled. "Patience..." Incendia sighed, seemingly able to see exactly where she stepped.

"Patience...What of it?" Piccolo questioned flatly.

Incendia looked at him with soft eyes, despite their hostile nature. "Patience is a virtue."

"I know." Piccolo muttered, blushing with embarrassment. He felt foolish having to be lectured by a child.

"Then practice this virtue, just as everyone should..." Incendia began, closing her eyes.

She continued to lead him Piccolo through the dense brush until they arrived at the plain. The horizon was dim and almost boring with no light to illuminate it. There stood only one thing that could be recognized. A single tree. It stood tall and strong and Incendia jumped into it with her cat-like agility. She sat on the thickest, brown branch, and as the wind blew past her, she pat the empty space beside her and uttered the word, 'sit'.

Piccolo rolled his eyes and climbed up the next to Incendia. He used his hands to balance himself on the limb of the tree. "What is this about? Why are we here again?" He questioned quickly, wanting answers.

Incendia placed her pale hand on Piccolo's and sighed, "You will understand. Now hush yourself." He stared at her and frowned, but remained silent.

"Now..." Incendia said, placing her small, pale on Piccolo's, "I know you to be very smart and calculated, so I know you would never do something for no reason, yes?" Piccolo nodded, giving Incendia the go-ahead to continue. "So...tell me this...Why do meditate?"

Piccolo opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, as he didn't remember how to answer. He forgot long ago. He only did it for the relaxation and his escape from the reality that he, despite his desires, remained alone.

"That is all I needed to hear...the stark beauty of silence..." Incendia sighed, "You have forgotten, plain and simply...But I do not blame you..." She paused, her eyes still closed. She wrapped her fingers around two of Piccolo's and continued.

"...Think...Meditation is for clearing the mind...but honestly, all it does is cloud your head...A dreary existence, life is...Full of sin...The temptation of Lust, the overindulgence of Gluttony, the vengeful nature of Wrath, the shamelessness of Pride, the overwhelming feeling of Greed, the sad tug at the heart at the hands of Envy, and the easy ways of Sloth...So overbearing with such a tight grasp on us...but yet..." Incendia opened her eyes and turned her head to face the man she secretly loved, "...Through the practice of Kindness and Humility, Charity and Diligence, Temperance and Chastity, and, above all else, Patience for our fellow being...true inner peace and a clear mind can be achieved..."

Piccolo stared in awe at Incendia. He knew what she said to be the truth, but he didn't want to admit it. "...My sin...it knows no bounds..." He sighed, turning away from her.

Incendia brought her right hand to his cheek and stroked it gently. He turned his head to face her. "...As does mine...but the fact that you have the courage and strength to confide such a bitter truth in someone you've expressed true compassion and concern for...I admire that..."

"...Incendia..." Piccolo sighed, almost unable to contain his feelings, "...You are wise beyond your years...a very intelligent, clever, soft-spoken, beautiful girl..."

Incendia eyes glittered and she stopped him. "You needn't go on..." She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed wistfully. "...I know that you have genuine interest and care for me..."

"You don't know the half..." Piccolo muttered grimly, "...But some things are better left unsaid..."

"Do you know what I am, Piccolo?" Incendia asked randomly. "What I really am?"

Piccolo almost answered again, but paused with contemplation. He knew Incendia to be a hybrid created in a laboratory, but nothing else.

Incendia giggled softly, "Didn't think so..." As the sun just began to creep over the mountains in the distance, she reached into her black pouch tied around her waist. She pulled out a small notebook and handed it to Piccolo. He looked at it curiously.

"It's my...manual..." Incendia sighed.

"Manual?" Piccolo asked, flipping it open and scanning a few pages. He saw words in a language he couldn't make out and several diagrams and blueprints depicting a humanoid creature. "For what?"

"...Piccolo..." Incendia said sadly.

"What...what is it?" Piccolo asked nervously.

"...I am...I am an...Android..." Incendia said nervously. Piccolo looked at Incendia with wide, fearful eyes, not wanting to believe what she said

"I meant to tell you!" Incendia sighed when she saw the look on Piccolo's face, "...But...I-!"

"But you what?!" Piccolo snapped angrily, "Why would you hide that from me?!" He realized that he yelled again and sighed, "...I didn't mean that...but, why'd you wait so long to tell me?"

Incendia stared at him with tears in her eyes. "I didn't want...I didn't want you to hate me because of it..." Piccolo frowned at the assumption she made, but Incendia went on. "...No one's ever lov-...liked me enough to take care of me...and...I like you a lot more than anybody I've ever met...Everyone else...they think I'm a monster..."

"You? A monster? Who said that?" Piccolo growled.

"The other Projects...except one...and even he treated me badly..."

"What did you do?"

"I was created..." Incendia cried softly, curling her hands into fists. "I'm no person...I couldn't tell you what I really am if I wanted to..." She let her head hang. "...I was meant to destroy everything I was told...but I developed feelings...I learned what pain and tickle was...What angst and bliss were...Yet, I lack one thing that everyone else has..."

"What is that...?" Piccolo questioned, shifting uncomfortably. "You've got everything any normal girl would have." He quickly noticed the nature of his last remark and blushed lightly.

Incendia didn't notice the slight innuendo and, as tears rolled down her cheeks and dropped off her chin, she whispered, "...I don't have a soul...I haven't a true being..." She began to tremble.

Piccolo's gritted his teeth, almost ready to slap Incendia across the face. "Incendia..."

"It is true...I am just a machine...A toy..." Incendia whispered sadly.

Piccolo growled again and grabbed Incendia by the arm. "Just stop..." He murmured. He turned their bodies into the same direction and gripped her other arm. "...I won't allow you to spill such nonsense...So, stop..."

"Piccolo! Don't tell me isn't true!" Incendia screamed at him, "I know what I am and what I was created to be! It's all right there in that God-Forsaken book!"

"Fuck the book, Incendia!" Piccolo retorted harshly. He picked the book up from his lap and tossed it as far as he could. Incendia's red eyes grew large and she looked at Piccolo. Her face was flush from the crying she did. "You are...you're perfect, God Damn it! And I refuse to let you think anything less!"

"Perfection is unachievable, Piccolo, be real!"

"No, it isn't! I've never met a girl...or anyone...that's as...amazing as you..." Piccolo claimed, still holding her. He couldn't understand why Incendia lacked her self confidence.

Incendia gazed at her mentor in disbelief. "You..." She whispered as Piccolo lifted her chin with a single finger. She blushed as a puzzled countenance slid onto her face.

"Anyone would be lucky to have you..." Piccolo insisted. He pulled Incendia into a hug. She sat in his lap as he leaned against the trunk of the tree. Her tail wrapped around his wrist as he caressed her hair gingerly. They stared off into the sky as the sun peaked over the plain.

Piccolo finally knew why Incendia brought him with her that morning and gave a small smile. He felt...cleansed. His mind cleared and he sighed.

Incendia dozed off in Piccolo's arms. She emitted a soft, low purring and he could feel the slight vibrating sensation. He chuckled quietly.

Piccolo brushed her raven hair aside and kissed her forehead delicately. A light, violet blush appeared in her face as she exhaled softly. Piccolo felt his eyelids becoming heavy. Feeling more lethargic with each passing moment, he let the warm grasp of slumber take over him.

Seconds turned to minutes. A minute turned into a few minutes. A few minutes grew into an hour. A single hour turned to several. Incendia and Piccolo continued to rest under the shade of the hardwood without a care in the world.

Incendia stared at the bright blue butterfly that landed on her nose and giggled, "What is this little creature? I haven't seen anything like it before."

Another blue flyer settled on Piccolo's finger. "You've never seen a butterfly either?" He asked as it crawled along his hand.

Incendia giggled, "How silly. Butter can't fly. I've tested the theory myself." Piccolo chuckled as the insects took flight again. Incendia frowned and said, "Where are they going?"

"Wherever they want." Piccolo answered simply. "There's no one to tell them where they can and can't go..."

"...Hmm...sounds almost...lucky and unlucky." Incendia concluded, twirling a piece of her hair around her index finger.

"And why is that?"

"Well, without anyone to tell you where to go anywhere. But that isn't always a good thing."

"Oh?"

"Indeed. What if you go somewhere you shouldn't?"

"Well, that's the price they pay."

"...In my humble opinion, that is stupid." Incendia said as-a-matter-of-factly as she snapped a small twig off the tree.

"You're too smart for your own good, Incendia. You shouldn't always show it." Piccolo advised.

"I know, I know..." Incendia agreed, "It is a dangerous thing, knowledge..."

"Yes, it is..." Piccolo repeated. He looked around. The sky darkened, giving of a orangish-pink hue. "Sunset? Already?"

"We've been out for hours, Piccolo." Incendia giggled, "Haven't you noticed?"

"I suppose I hadn't..." Piccolo chuckled, "...I was a bit distracted..."

"Distracted?" Incendia inquired, "By what?"

"Well...you, Kiddo."

"I'm distracting...?" Incendia asked sadly.

"Yes...but...it's a good type of distraction..." Piccolo insisted, rubbing her back.

"...Thanks..." Incendia said quietly. She felt hesitant to ask Piccolo a question, but it kept bothering her. "...You'd still like me if I turned evil...wouldn't you, Piccolo?" She blushed deeply and looked at the ground.

Piccolo could hear the concern dripping off of each word she uttered. "You worry too much..." He chuckled, "You've got me for that..."

"Uhh...Piccolo...?" Incendia sighed, "...C-Can...Can I ask you...something else...?"

"Go ahead, Incendia."

"...Uhh...it is nothing, just dismiss my idle speaking..."

"Incendia?"

"Yes...?"

"You do know you're a terrible liar, don't you?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You've got something on your mind."

"Well, you do too..."

"And what if I do? It isn't anything you need to concern yourself with. Now, out with it. What's bothering you?"

"...How do I know...if I'm...in love...?" Incendia asked timidly. She blushed and tilted her head.

Piccolo strongly advised himself not to answer Incendia's question honestly. He already knew what he wanted to tell her as well. He decided that he would take the risk. He placed a hand on her shoulder and sighed, "Well...I haven't ever been in love, Incendia...but...I think I'd know. It have to be someone I deeply cared for, someone I couldn't live without...I'd need to be willing to put them before myself...and...sacrifice everything...if only to make them happy."

Incendia stared at Piccolo, her eyes sparkling in the dimming skylight. "...Wow..." She sighed dreamily, "...How...amazing..."

"Indeed..." Piccolo stated. He looked into Incendia's eyes again. He came to love the enthusiastic glimmer they gave off. His expression turned to one of thought as he began to contemplate his own words once more.

"Have I really never been in love before...?" Piccolo wondered, "I swear, I've had the feeling before...Caring deeply for someone...someone I don't want to live without...Someone I would make any sacrifice for, or live and die for...Only for them..." His eyes grew wide.

"What is wrong, Piccolo?" Incendia asked with a dash of concern.

"N-Nothing..." Piccolo lied. "...Incendia..." He thought, "...Incendia...is...she must be...I really am in love with her..."

Incendia stared at Piccolo, waiting for him to speak again. However, she wandered through her own thoughts. "All those things he said...Well, I know where I've felt that before! I'd do all that stuff for Piccolo! ...But...wait...would he do anything like that for me...?"

"Well, Incendia..." Piccolo finally concluded with a deep sigh.

"Yes, Master Piccolo?" Incendia said, giving him an sweet smile.

Piccolo smirked. "When you find that person, the one that you're truly in love with...You'll know..."


	7. Chapter 7

This was a bit of a hard chapter for me to write, especially knowing the events coming after this. If you have any suggestions, please contact me via PM. You reviews are appreciated. So, enjoy.

* * *

Part 7

"Go ahead, Sweetheart," Chi-Chi sighed, placing her hand on Incendia's leg, "Tell me what happened." The two women sat in the Son house. Incendia came to Chi-Chi, for she didn't know anyone else to turn to.

"Well, I have been...I have been living with Piccolo...and it has been nice...up until yesterday..." Incendia explained sadly, letting her ears droop.

"What did that jerk do?" Chi-Chi asked through gritted teeth.

Incendia sighed, "He was being so...insensitive..."

"Sounds just like him," Chi-Chi growled, "He's always been like that. And people don't change, Incendia."

"They...they don't?" Incendia inquired nervously.

"No, they don't. He was just as heartless when he was training my little boy. He even had the nerve to leave him out in the wilderness for six whole months!" Chi-Chi ranted, sounding angrier with each word.

Incendia sighed quietly and stared at the wood floor as Chi-Chi continued to shout about how awful Piccolo made himself look. "Mrs. Chi-Chi," Incendia sighed timidly, "I-I don't mean to be rude, or anything of that nature...but I did come to you for advice..."

Chi-Chi paused for a moment to think. "Look, Incendia, I know we haven't known each other long...but I know you are a very sweet, beautiful and misunderstood young lady. I only want what's best for you...and what's best for you isn't hanging around a dead-beat like Piccolo."

"...You think he's a dead-beat...? What does that mean?" Incendia asked curiously.

"How do I put this delicately...?" Chi-Chi sighed, smoothing a stray hair back. "...He's a waste-of-space low-life who doesn't have the right to isolate himself in the woods with a young girl like some pervert."

Incendia shrunk back in her chair, completely terrified by the women sitting in front of her. She hugged her long, fluffy tail and sighed, "...Y-You're right, Mrs. Chi-Chi...I-I don't need him..."

She yanked each word from the deepest, darkest realm of hatred in her soul, still a tad cross with Piccolo for what he did. She couldn't be sure if she meant it or not. She didn't know anymore. Her whole world came crashing down only hours before. "Without Piccolo..." she feared mentally, "I'm nothing..."

"That's the spirit!" Chi-Chi laughed, ruffling Incendia's hair like she would a child. "Now, how old did you say you were? Seventeen?"

"Actually..." Incendia corrected shyly, "My...eighteenth birthday was yesterday..." A flood of negative emotion poured into her body. "...Of all days...why did he choose yesterday...?"

"What a prick!" Chi-Chi hissed, slamming her fist down on the table next to her. "He ran you off on your birthday?!"

"I assure you, Mrs. Chi-Chi, he means nothing now," Incendia lied, nervously tracing circles into the arm of her chair, "I am an independent women, and I can take care of myself."

"Well...if you say so..." Chi-Chi sighed, sipping from a cup she had rested on the arm of her own seat. "Are you sure you don't need a place to stay?"

"It is very kind of you to offer, but I am sure. I think I have looked into enough books to know how to navigate an urban community." Incendia said sweetly.

"You mean a city?"

"Yes, that thing."

"I guess I can't stop you..." Chi-Chi admitted.

"You are a fucking idiot!" Piccolo shouted at himself. He meditated in his usual spot, but a thick fog of angst settled on the area following the events of the previous day. "You always screw things up for yourself! Why do you insist on making your life difficult?!"

Piccolo sighed and opened his eyes. "Incendia was right when she said 'meditating only clouds your head'..." He tried to repress the memory of his outburst. The shouting back and forth, the negative emotions, the tears...

_"I can't! I just can't do it!" Incendia shouted after several failed attempts at a Ki-Blast. "I don't have enough energy!"_

_"Don't lie to me!" Piccolo barked, "Now go again." Pushing Incendia to her limits would be good for her, if she'd just listen._

_Incendia huffed, "You'd think I would get a break..." and crossed her arms in refusal._

_"What're you doing?!" Piccolo demanded, "I said 'go again'!" He witnessed a change in character for Incendia, as she seemed to become more defiant and even a bit angry at him for no reason._

_Piccolo stood up and grabbed Incendia's shoulder. "What the Hell's gotten into you?!"_

_"Wouldn't you like to know?" Incendia snapped, jerking her arm away from him. Her eyes flashed a fluorescent red, startling the already-confused Namek._

_"I can't go on like this, you know." Incendia's tone was dark and angst-ridden. "I could short out, or even shut down! Don't you get that?!"_

_"I guess I don't!" Piccolo shouted, "I guess I didn't know how much of an impudent little brat you were!" Rage took over Piccolo and his hands curled into fists._

_"Sorry I got turned into some scientist's experiment, but I've got limits!"_

_"You wouldn't think that if you didn't know!"_

_"But I do! Maybe if I were still organic...still real...I could do this...but that wasn't what I was programmed for!" Incendia screamed at him, "How insensitive can you be?!"_

_"You're just like every other damn female on this planet!" Piccolo hissed lowly, "No different!"_

_"Do go on! I would love to hear this!" Incendia said with a flick of her tail._

_"I thought you were different than them! I thought...I thought you were special...But I see now that I was mistaken!"_

_Incendia swallowed the lump in her throat as Piccolo's spiteful words cut at her like razor blades, but she looked unfazed. "That all ya' got?" Incendia said with false arrogance._

_Piccolo chuckled darkly as his emotions took over his mind. "...Oh, no..." He confirmed with a smirk, "I now see that you're just as stupid, cocky, self-absorbed, and weak as they are."_

_The weight of the world crushed Incendia's heart as those words, so calculated and cold, escaped his lips. Her red eye dimmed to a dull grey color. Her body trembled lightly and she hugged herself, turning her head away from Piccolo._

_Piccolo stopped and his once bitterly triumphant expression turned to one of remorse and fear. He wasn't sure what to say after that. A simple 'sorry' wouldn't suffice. Before he could even begin to find the right words to explain himself, Incendia looked up._

_Tears of true and utter misery rolled down Incendia's face as she whispered, "...Y-You really are a monster..."_

_"...N-No..." Piccolo said quietly, "...I-I..." One of the only people that didn't treat him like a freak, an outcast, a disgrace to the world...and he just pushed her away. Isolated himself with a single loathsome remark that he didn't honestly mean._

_Incendia wanted nothing more to do with Piccolo. Her defiance was in her own interest. She didn't want to die, and she was being over-exerted. If she went a few more days working that hard, she would have shut down for sure. And there wasn't any amount of fixing or re-wiring that could bring her back again_.

Piccolo felt tears in his own eyes as he watched Incendia walk away from him. Surely after the way he treated her, she wouldn't return. The women he was deeply in love with...gone forever...

Piccolo emerged from his thoughts and realized he was crying. His eyes stung and his heart felt heavy. His world was empty now...without her...


End file.
